Downing Street holds firm over Sunday laws after Labour attack
THE GOVERNMENT denied last night it is using relaxed Sunday trading laws during the Olympics and Paralympics as a “Trojan horse” to push through permanent measures, despite senior Tories suggesting a rethink.
Labour shadow business secretary Chuka Umunna hit out at the government yesterday after communities secretary Eric Pickles said longer Sunday opening hours would boost the economy and a spokesman for Cameron admitted “a lot of people will look at the issue”. A Number 10 spokesman said last night that Cameron’s position is that the law “was a specific thing for the Olympics”.
Umunna said in a letter: “The communities secretary has made it clear the government is considering permanent change in light of the operation of this Act. This breaks all the promises made to parliament, business and to those working in the retail sector.”
Business secretary Vince Cable pledged earlier this year that the temporary measures would not be used to drive through wider deregulation after the Games.